Continuing our theme of water-related lessons, this guide is about learning to surf. Most of the schools on the list offer private and group lessons for adults and children, and many of them offer surf camps too.

For now we are just listing names and websites, but I will be updating this list with more information about the schools and teachers soon.

As always, if I left anyone out, please leave a comment or send me an email.

Summer is for swimming: salty, sandy ocean days, chlorinated, green haired weeks of cannonballs and swan dives, or lake swimming -jumping off the dock and races back to shore. Followed always by ice cream.

Happily, there are a lot of affordable and even free swimming lessons available in the Hamptons. In a community surrounded by ocean and bay beaches, and where almost everyone has a pool, it is incredibly important that kids learn to swim when they are young.

But whether you live out east year round or just in the summer and on weekends, sometimes you need a private swimming teacher. And there are so many really great, experienced and caring swim instructors in the Hamptons happy to come come to your house for group or individual swim lessons.

In this guide I have included the town where the teacher or school is based, but you should get in touch with them even if you live in a different town, because they will almost always be happy to come to your home pretty much anywhere from Southampton to Montauk.

Here is a list, which I will be updating regularly. Please leave a comment or send me an email if you would like to be included or know of someone I have missed.

We are lucky to have so many yoga studios and wellness and healing centers and practices in the Hamptons. There truly is a wonderful community here, with all sorts of warm, welcoming and interesting people. This post is focusing on yoga, but in the future I will be writing about all types of healthy holistic goodness.

Stay tuned for more details and information about some or all of the wonderful places on this list. There is so much to say about the individual people behind the studios as well as about the classes and events they offer, and I plan on updating this post regularly.
As always, if there is anything I missed, please leave a comment or send me an email.

I just listed a lovely three bedroom farmhouse in Springs. I’m in love with the original beams and the beautiful Scandinavian style kitchen. With a wood burning fireplace, a finished basement, 3.5 bathrooms, and a sunny pool with an outdoor shower. Just minutes from bay beaches, the Pollock/Krasner House and the weekly farmers market. And to make it even better, a neighbor just across the street sells fresh eggs.

Summer camp. Love it or hate it, it’s a big part of life for most kids out here. Canoes and singalongs aren’t for everyone, which is why it’s so cool that we have so many different camp options out here in the Hamptons. From surfing to robotics, and from art to gymnastics, there is sure to be something every kid will enjoy. And who knows, maybe they will even discover that they like something they didn’t think they would. For really, isn’t exploration what summer vacation is supposed to be about?

This is a very large topic, so I’m just going to jump right in. Below is a list of summer camps in the Hamptons. I have included links to their websites when available, and I have tried to include everyone. But please email me or leave a comment if you know of a camp or summer activity I have forgotten. The camps are organized alphabetically.

Have I missed anything? If you know of any Hamptons summer camps that should be on this list, or if you have any camp experiences that you would like to share, please leave a comment or send me an email.

So you live in the Hamptons or you own a house here, and you want to rent it out for the whole summer, or maybe just one month, or even a couple of weekends. It’s a very good idea, and I know plenty of people who supplement their income and even pay their mortgage doing just that.

In fact, when we decided to move to East Hampton, one of the deciding factors was that we would be able to go away for the summer and rent our house. It hasn’t happened yet because I went and got a job that means I have to be here during the high season, but the potential is there, and that’s the point.

But how does one go about renting their house? Presumably everyone has heard about the East Hampton rental registry by now, but actually working out the details can be daunting, so here I am, your trusty reporter, to dig deep and lay it out straight.

1. As the owner, you must register your house with the East Hampton Town Building Department. The form is available at the Building Dept office and online on the EH Town website, but must be submitted either in person (at 300 Pantigo Place, Suite 104) or by mail, along with a $100 application fee.

2. Your house must have a valid certificate of occupancy on file with the town.

3. All forms (the application and the checklist) must be notarized.

4. Once your application has been approved, you will be issued a rental registry number, which must be included in every advertisement and listing for the house.

4. You must re-file for every tenant. (!) And additionally, you must re-file every two years no matter what.

5. Once you have your registry number, you are free to rent your house. But keep in mind that longer term rentals are encouraged, for you may only rent your house for less than 15 days twice in a six-month period.
Penalties are stiff for those who don’t comply with the registry law. If you neglect to register your property before advertising it, fines range from $150 to $1,500 and 15 days in jail.

And if you don’t register your house before actually renting it, the fines can be $3000 to $15,000 and up to six months in jail. And for second offenses, fines can reach $30,000 and six months’ imprisonment.

If you have any questions about the process, or don’t want to go through the hassle of listing it yourself online, feel free to give me a call or send me an email and I’ll help you get everything all set up.